“Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right” is the theme for National Nutrition MonthÂ® 2014. Here are a few tips for helping your kids eat right and enjoy the food their eating.

Get Kids Involved. Having your kids help to shop for and prepare food will expand the food they eat. It will also help them take on more responsibility around what they are eating and feel good about the food they eat.

Lead by example. The most influential role model in your child’s life is you. Eat and serve healthy food, don’t crash diet, accept your own body image, don’t judge others, and exercise yourself and with your family.

Take responsibility. Teach your kids to take responsibility for themselves, their eating, exercise and behavior. If you teach your children why it’s important to eat healthy food and how it can help their body grow and stay healthy, your child will be more willing to eat the healthy food you prepare them.

Start a health plan. Enjoy healthy delicious food. The more you can cook at home, the more you and your kids will be eating healthy food. Follow the MyPlate guidelines and make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Exercise regularly by yourself and with your family. Emphasize the importance of being healthy rather than losing weight.

Praise – Kids need praise! Place value on their achievements. Teach children about nutrition and how to make good food choices for themselves and praise their good decisions.

Do it Together. Enjoy cooking together. No one wants to cook alone, so why not bring your kids in to help wash, chop and mix. Have family dinners together as often as possible. This is a great way to enjoy a home-cooked healthy meal, talk about their day, and be together as a family.

Kristie Stark is the founder of Sprouts â€“ Growing Healthy Families. Trained in fine arts and graphic design, Kristie runs Stark Group, a web and print design company. She is also a mother of three children who is exploring ways to make mealtimes at home more sane, tasty and nutritious. Sprouts was launched in spring of 2012 as a pilot nutrition program in preschool and elementary school settings. The vision for Sprouts is to connect children and families with food resources and tools they can use to grow health and happiness in their lives.